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PL 2005, c. 133 required members of planning and zoning boards to attend a basic course in land use law and planning within 18 months. New members of these have 18 months from appointment to receive such training.

For members who were serving at the time of the law’s implementation, this Thursday, January 17 is the deadline to receive such training.

Concerns were raised (by the League, in particular) at that time of whether it was feasible for an estimated 9,000 board members statewide to be trained in a relatively short period of time. The legislation originally provided for a 12-month period, and the League suggested at least 24-months.

Recognizing this, the New Jersey Planning Officials (NJPO), a League affiliate, offered additional and larger courses statewide, including sessions at the League’s 2006 and 2007 conferences. It is our understanding that approximately 8,000 board members have been trained by NJPO. We recognize, however, that some board members may have not yet received their training. For this reason, we recommend that any board member under the January 17 deadline register for a course immediately, and not vote on any matter until the training is complete.